Easy Light Linker ?

[Pepper]

Last year I bought 32 channels.Sadly I didn't get to use it. This year I'm thinking of buying the Easy Light Linker http://store.lightorama.com/ealili.html.My question is,will the pair be enough for my 32 channels or do I need the pair + 1 more Easy Light Linker?
Thanks!!!

[stanward]

You only need the pair.

[Victory402]

Are your 2 controllers connected together with a cat5 cable? If yes, you will only need the pair (2). If no, you will need 3 ells.

[Pepper]

stanward wrote:

You only need the pair.

Thanks!

[Pepper]

Victory402 wrote:

Are your 2 controllers connected together with a cat5 cable? If yes, you will only need the pair (2). If no, you will need 3 ells.

I will have 1 controller for the things on the house & 1 controller for the mega tree.My yard is 240' wide & the mega will be about 60 or so feet from the house.I bought 2 100' cat5's being I was gonna run 1 from the PC to controller #1.So if I run a cat5 from #1 to #2 I would be ok with the pair?
Do I connect ell #1 to PC,ell #2 to controller #1 then cat5 from controller #1 to controller #2?

Also does anybody know of any youtube video's with a how to on the way to connect ell to your PC & controllers?
Sorry if I'm being a lil dense on this.I understand better by seeing over written directions :? I think I understand what I'm supposed to do but a lil nervous :shock:

Thanks again for any help!!

[Guest guest]

If you are going to drive the ELL direct from your computer, you need the RS485B adapter.

If I'm following you correctly, and understanding what you want to do, you would connect 1 ELL to your PC (again, need to use the 485B adapter), and then outdoors, you would daisy chain ELL to controller 1 to controller 2.

Obviously, you'd want to connect the ELL to the controller closest to the house, assuming that will be the shortest distance between PC-ELL and controller-ELL.

As far as diagrams, the ELL manual has pretty good diagrams showing various connection scenarios.

[Dave Batzdorf]

This is from the LOR site. Yep I love pictures too!

The Light-O-Rama ShowTime Software Suite works on your personal computer running Microsoft Windows and allows you to design your own shows. ShowTime Software Suite then runs your shows and sends the right commands at the right time to the various control channels. ShowTime Software Suite can even keep music synchronized to the controller commands. Speakers to play the music accompanying your show are attached to the computer sound card. Your personal computer communicates to the controllers using a device plugged into your computer's serial or USB communications port. The blue line shows the standard serial output of your computer (RS-232 or USB) out of your PC where it enters our converter that transforms the signal to the native Light-O-Rama network protocol (the green line) that connects to our various types of controllers over standard computer network wire. We recommend Cat 5 LAN cables available from us and off-the-shelf from your local big box store in the computer section. In this layout we also connect to the wireless data networkThe Light-O-Rama Easy Light Linker creates a wireless version of the Light-O-Rama data network. With a range of 500 feet depending on the environment, one Easy Light Linker transmitter can send command to multiple Easy Light Linker receivers.The Easy Light Linker receiver receives the network commands and transmits the data to the controllers connected to it. This ability to connect wirelessly is valuable when it's not practical to run a data cable across lanes of traffic, bodies of water or anywhere people might trip over wire.The Light-O-Rama ShowTime Pro or ShowTime PC controllers include special effects such as simple on/off, intensities, smooth fading, twinkling, shimmering. Up to 200 controllers (each handling 16 unique electrical circuits) can be daisy chained on the LOR network giving you the ability to control over 3,200 channelsElectrical power is supplied to the controller placed close to your lights so you don't need to run long extension cords. Commands from the ShowTime Software Suite are performed on each controller. Power to each of the attached lighting circuits is controlled independently. Think of having many dimmer switches that the computer can change very quickly and independently.

[PaulXmas]

Pepper wrote:

I will have 1 controller for the things on the house & 1 controller for the mega tree.My yard is 240' wide & the mega will be about 60 or so feet from the house.I bought 2 100' cat5's being I was gonna run 1 from the PC to controller #1.So if I run a cat5 from #1 to #2 I would be ok with the pair?
Do I connect ell #1 to PC,ell #2 to controller #1 then cat5 from controller #1 to controller #2?

You don't need the ELL if you are using CAT5 (or phone) cables to connect the controllers.

You could



PC -> CAT5 ->Controller#1 -> ELL(1) ~~~~ (air waves) ~~~~ ELL(2) Controller #2

You will need to use a short CAT5 to connect the ELL to the controller



Hope this make sence.

[Guest guest]

As I read it, he was going to leave both controller outdoors, link PC to controllers via ELL:

Do I connect ell #1 to PC,ell #2 to controller #1 then cat5 from controller #1 to controller #2

The description above that was the original plan, pre-ELL idea...

Pepper?

[Pepper]

DonFL wrote:

If you are going to drive the ELL direct from your computer, you need the RS485B adapter.

If I'm following you correctly, and understanding what you want to do, you would connect 1 ELL to your PC (again, need to use the 485B adapter), and then outdoors, you would daisy chain ELL to controller 1 to controller 2.

Obviously, you'd want to connect the ELL to the controller closest to the house, assuming that will be the shortest distance between PC-ELL and controller-ELL.

As far as diagrams, the ELL manual has pretty good diagrams showing various connection scenarios.

Don I bought the USB485B when I ordered the controllers.So this is the correct piece I need right?
Good to know I will need to connect the ell on the controller closest to house.I would of did it backwards OOPS.
I was looking at the diagrams on the LOR page but got a lil confused.Only been trying to understand the concept the last couple years lol
Thanks again!

[Pepper]

Dave Batzdorf wrote:

This is from the LOR site.  Yep I love pictures too!

The Light-O-Rama ShowTime Software Suite works on your personal computer running Microsoft Windows and allows you to design your own shows.  ShowTime Software Suite then runs your shows and sends the right commands at the right time to the various control channels.  ShowTime Software Suite can even keep music synchronized to the controller commands. Speakers to play the music accompanying your show are attached to the computer sound card. Your personal computer communicates to the controllers using a device plugged into your computer's serial or USB communications port.  The blue line shows the standard serial output of your computer (RS-232 or USB) out of your PC where it enters our converter that transforms the signal to the native Light-O-Rama network protocol (the green line) that connects to our various types of controllers over standard computer network wire.  We recommend Cat 5 LAN cables available from us and off-the-shelf from your local big box store in the computer section.  In this layout we also connect to the wireless data networkThe Light-O-Rama Easy Light Linker creates a wireless version of the Light-O-Rama data network.  With a range of 500 feet depending on the environment, one Easy Light Linker transmitter can send command to multiple Easy Light Linker receivers.The Easy Light Linker receiver receives the network commands and transmits the data to the controllers connected to it.  This ability to connect wirelessly is valuable when it's not practical to run a data cable across lanes of traffic, bodies of water or anywhere people might trip over wire.The Light-O-Rama ShowTime Pro or ShowTime PC controllers include special effects such as simple on/off, intensities, smooth fading, twinkling, shimmering.  Up to 200 controllers (each handling 16 unique electrical circuits) can be daisy chained on the LOR network giving you the ability to control over 3,200 channelsElectrical power is supplied to the controller placed close to your lights so you don't need to run long extension cords.  Commands from the ShowTime Software Suite are performed on each controller.  Power to each of the attached lighting circuits is controlled independently.  Think of having many dimmer switches that the computer can change very quickly and independently.

Dave I love pics too lol
I did look at it on the LOR site before but was still a lil confused.Was hoping to find a youtube video on the setup to help me understand it a little more.
Thanks for your input tho.
Also WOO HOO the ELL is gonna be on sale hehehe

[cmoore60]

Pepper wrote:

I bought 2 100' cat5's being I was gonna run 1 from the PC to controller #1.So if I run a cat5 from #1 to #2 I would be ok with the pair?

If you were going to use one cat5 cable from the PC to Controller #1 in the first statemenedut. Then you said you would use the cat5 between controllers. You still end up with an extra cat 5 cable. Since you said you bought 2. Why do you feel you need the ELL at all.

pc----100' cat 5-----controller1-----100' cat5----- controller 2

What is wrong with that. Also, Just because you purchased 100' does not limit you to staying with only 100' I have a custom cable that is about 125-140 feet between my PC and the first controller on that side.

Chuck

[Pepper]

cmoore60 wrote:

Pepper wrote:

I bought 2 100' cat5's being I was gonna run 1 from the PC to controller #1.So if I run a cat5 from #1 to #2 I would be ok with the pair?

 If you were going to use one cat5 cable from the PC to Controller #1 in the first statemenedut. Then you said you would use the cat5 between controllers. You still end up with an extra cat 5 cable. Since you said you bought 2. Why do you feel you need the ELL at all.

pc----100' cat 5-----controller1-----100' cat5----- controller 2

What is wrong with that. Also, Just because you purchased 100' does not limit you to staying with only 100'  I have a custom cable that is about 125-140 feet between my PC and the first controller on that side.

Chuck

Chuck,
I want to use the ell so I don't need to drill a hole thru my floor or wall.I move my desktop PC every so often to a different location in the house so feel it would be better with using the ELL setup.Hoping to get more controllers eventually so 1 less cat5 to buy then
Thanks!

[JBullard]

Pepper,

Just keep in mind that the ELL requires "Line of sight communications" to work properly. Each additional wall (depending on where in the house you decide to move your desk top PC to), can effect the signal and performance.

The ELL is a low power 800 Mhz radio device.

[CaptainCook]

John,

Minor correction.. The ELLs actually use the 900Mhz amatuer radio band that is a public, no license required band in many countries. The 800Mhz band is a public safety band in the US and used for police, fire departments, etc.

Randy

[Pepper]

JBullard wrote:

Pepper,

Just keep in mind that the ELL requires "Line of sight communications" to work properly. Each additional wall (depending on where in the house you decide to move your desk top PC to), can effect the signal and performance.

The ELL is a low power 800 Mhz radio device.

JBullard,
The location of the PC right now is in my living room.I have a window right off to the right of the PC.Would it be best to put the ELL close to the window?
My TV is also next to the desk & window.
Hooking up the ELL to the PC the distance it needs to travel would be from on the wall or window then across room maybe 25' thru the wall at the front of the house then the controller will be either under the house or right past the outer wall.
I also live downtown & have a major hospital across the bayou from me.Hope I don't get interference from the hospital & boat traffic

Look at the below picture for an idea of what I'm working with.The controller will be either right under the porch or house to the left.The PC will also be to the left of the window across the room.The house is wood frame.My roof is also metal if that makes a difference.



Thanks!!

[JBullard]

From the ELL Manual:

Use a Cat5 cable to connect the Easy Light Linker to
either an LOR controller or a PC using an LOR
USB485B adapter.

Please take the time to read through the following
dos and don’ts.

1. The cable between the transceiver and the
controller or adapter must be 25’ or less. The
transceiver is powered by the controller(s) or
an LOR USB485B adapter. A long cable
causes excessive voltage drop resulting in
transceiver failure.

2. The antenna should point up, be a least a foot
away from any vertical surface and about 8’
off the ground. If possible, try to avoid
obstructions between transceivers.

7. If you are using the device to connect from an
indoor show director (PC or MP3 Director) to
outdoor controllers be aware that the walls
the signal must pass through will affect the
range. If the house is covered in aluminum,
you may have to place the transmitter in a
window.

If the wall insulation is foil backed it may have an effect. In the window would be best.

I have always used my ELLs outside only, and have each one approx 10 ft above ground level, in clear site of each other.

For inside use, I would suggest you allow a little extra set up time, and once working, do not move the PC and ELL to a different location.

[Guest guest]

CaptainCook wrote:

John,

Minor correction.. The ELLs actually use the 900Mhz amatuer radio band that is a public, no license required band in many countries. The 800Mhz band is a public safety band in the US and used for police, fire departments, etc.

Randy

Minor correction to the minor correction...

The ELLs do use the 900 mhz ISM band (902-928), but it is not, in the true sense of the word, part of the amateur radio spectrum. Majority is unlicensed use, though you can actually license spectrum in the band, but its seldom done, and really, doesn't gain you anything from an interference protection standpoint.

[JBullard]

Thank you Don, I knew that. I use my hacked Icom tri-bander handheld to search for open frequencies before set up every year.

Thanks again Don.

[Guest guest]

JBullard wrote:

Thank you Don, I knew that. I use my hacked Icom tri-bander handheld to search for open frequencies before set up every year.

Thanks again Don.

Nothing like integrating two great hobbies...amateur radio..and LOR...

I just need a winning powerball ticket so I can retire and have more time for both..